In Remembrance: Patsy Rowlands

     Patsy Rowlands, the British comic actor best known for her appearances in the Carry On comedy film series has passed away on January 22, 2005 in Hove, Great Britain. She was 71.

     Born Patricia Rowlands on January 19, 1934 in Palmers Green, London, England, Rowlands was encouraged by a teacher to apply for a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama at age 15. She won the scholarship, placing the highest out of all applicants that year. In 1958 she made her London West End debut at the Saville Theater in the play Valmouth. She also appeared in Semi-Detached with Laurence Olivier. Stage time at the Players’ Theatre in London in more traditional music hall shows helped sharpen her comedic skills.

     Although she had small roles in the dramas A Kind Of Loving (1962) and Tom Jones (1963), it was her casting in the role of Nurse Fosdick in 1969’s Carry On Again, Doctor that first allowed Rowlands to showcase her comedic side on film. The Carry On series was launched in 1958 with Carry On Sergeant and was known for its bawdy sense of humor. Rowlands quickly fit in with the series’ recurring cast and she would go on to appear in nine series entries over six years. Rowlands often appeared in the films as the put upon housewife or the soft-spoken employee who pined for her boss. However, by the time she appeared in Carry On Girls (1973) she was cast played the wife of a mayor who decides to cast of her traditional role of housewife, burn her bra and join the Women’s Lib movement. Fans regard it as Rowlands’ finest performance in the series.

     Other of Rowlands’ film roles include the comedy Please Sir (1971), Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland (1972) and Roman Polanski’s Tess (1979).

     Rowlands also appeared in several television comedy series including Bless This House with Carry On series co-star Sid James, The Squirrels, and Kinvik and on stage in productions of Shut Your Eyes And Think Of England, The Seagull and Into The Woods. Rowlands last stage appearance was as Mrs. Pearce in the 2001 Theatre Royal, Drury Lane production of My Fair Lady.